FIA take DRS action ahead of Singapore Grand Prix with notable change made

Henry Valantine 17 Sep 2024 3:15 PM

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen in action at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen in action at the Singapore Grand Prix.

A fourth DRS zone has been added to the Singapore Grand Prix layout for 2024, in the hope of adding a further overtaking opportunity at Marina Bay.

A 400-metre straight was made a part of the layout last season when the removal of Turns 16-19 took place for construction work, with those corners having snaked around and underneath a grandstand beforehand, but that new straight will now have a DRS zone attached.

Singapore Grand Prix has fourth DRS zone added for F1 2024 season

The modifications to the circuit layout for last season brought down the time for pole position by 5.3 seconds compared to the last dry qualifying session in 2019, and the race time some 12 minutes quicker than that year – albeit adjusted for Safety Car interventions.

Any drivers who are now overtaken in the previous DRS zone, into the hairpin right-hander of Turn 14, will have to act quickly into Turn 16 to respond, as that same detection point is set to be used for both zones – meaning the driver under one second behind heading into the second detection point over the Anderson Bridge [Turn 12] will have a double helping of DRS.

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Likewise, for any drivers chasing a rival, they will be able to have a second opportunity to close up to their rivals after the straight into the Turn 14 hairpin, and a second opportunity into the right-left chicane of Turns 16 and 17 will come through the flat-out left kink of Turn 15.

This change will add a fourth chance to open the rear wing on the lap for the drivers, with the start/finish straight and runs from Turns 5-7 also acting as DRS zones – and the prime opportunities to overtake around a lap of Marina Bay.

Elsewhere, F1 tyre suppliers Pirelli also confirmed they will be bringing their softest three compounds to the race weekend, with the C3 [hard], C4 [medium] and C5 [soft] tyres set to be in use in Singapore.